His lips twitched. “Definethat.”
Her blue eyes narrowed. “Fishing for compliments, Sebastian?”
“Maybe.” The way she said his middle name made something surge inside his chest. She remembered it; he liked this. He’d never cared for it, however, and no one had ever called him that.
“OK, then. You might have gotten handsome.”
“Might have?”
“I can’t tell for the beard.” She took a long sip of her wine, still studying him, and the need to touch her obliterated all else.
He reached out carefully, allowing himself to barely graze her cheek with his knuckles, ending with a soft caress of his thumb along her jaw.
She didn’t pull away, her beautiful eyes glittering with that sheen typical of people who were halfway to drunk.
She ran her tongue over her lips, and his gut clenched at the sight. He was now straining uncomfortably against the fabric of his pants.
Those powerful feelings she always evoked wrapped around his soul, and he was seventeen again, the blood rushing through his chest and echoing in his ears at the mere sight of her. He badly wanted to put his arm around her and claim those lips again, but there was no way he was taking this further when she had so much alcohol in her system.
He drew his hand away.
The next second, his phone buzzed. He exhaled and quickly pulled it out of his pocket. No photo appeared, but he knew exactly who it was.
Adam Larssen.
Jannie, too, recognized the number. “Why is he calling you?”
Nick shrugged. “Let’s find out.”
For a moment, she looked as if she might protest, but then she nodded curtly and looked away, her lips pressed into a thin line.
He tappedacceptand put the call on speaker.
“This is Nick Kent.”
“Hey, Kent. Adam Larssen. Sorry to bother you on a Friday night.”
“No bother at all. What can I do for you, Captain?”
“I can’t seem to get in touch with my sister. She isn’t answering her landline, and her cell keeps going straight to voicemail. I’ve texted, emailed, called everyone I can think of. Running out of ideas, here. Thought I’d call you. Have you talked to her lately?”
Nick cast a questioning look at Jannie, who was scowling.
And then, she rolled her eyes.
It was all Nick could do to keep from laughing out loud.
A moment went by as he thought of an appropriate response.
“Are you there?” Larssen asked.
“Yeah, Ug, he’s here,” Jannie informed him irritably.
“Really.” He sounded genuinely taken aback.
Jannie snickered, and Nick guessed it wasn’t often that her stoic brother was thrown for a loop.
“I was just about to tear his clothes off, but now the mood is totally ruined. Thank you for that. Much appreciated.”
